“Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky. They are people who say; This is my community, and it’s my responsibility to make it better.” – Tom McCall

Second Annual Tom McCall Day

In honor of the 2nd annual Tom McCall Day, March 22nd 2017, we encourage you to learn more about Tom McCall here and to consider donating time or money to one of the environmental organizations he helped to found.

1000 Friends of Oregon protects the land use planning laws Tom McCall fought so hard to establish and protect.

If you're a teacher or librarian, we encourage you to help educate children and the public about Tom McCall's legacy by using the resources found here.

The Legacy Project

— Saying thanks to Tom McCall by paying it forward to Oregon.Tom McCall, Oregon’s governor from 1967 to 1975, was a great defender of the environment, promoting such legislation as the Bottle Bill, the Beach Bill, and land-use planning. His creative approach to solving problems resulted in our state becoming a leader in environmental reform in the early ’70s. While many Oregonians believe we still hold this position, the sad truth is, we no longer do. The goal of this project is to restore our state to that proud role and ensure that McCall’s efforts to preserve Oregon’s natural resources for future generations are not undone.

Why?

Oregon relies on natural resources to provide income through sources such as agriculture, timber, tourism, fishing, and even film and movie production. That makes protecting the environment an economic issue.

People who move to Oregon often do so for its livability. We need to preserve that livability if we wish to continue to attract business to Oregon.

Oregon used to be the national leader in environmental reform, using an innovative approach to tackling difficult problems. In 2013, however, the Portland Earth Day celebration was cancelled due to a lack of volunteers. Likewise, Bottle Bill redemption rates, which exceeded 90% for the first fifteen years of the law, dropped to 75% by 2009 and continue to decline. We owe it to ourselves to reclaim the role of environmental leadership we held while McCall was governor.

Tom McCall worked hard right up to his death to protect Oregon for future generations. In his final days, his efforts to defeat Measure 6, which would have overturned Oregon's land use planning laws, tipped the balance in protecting our state from unchecked development. It’s time we showed our gratitude by making sure McCall's hard work isn’t undermined or forgotten.

We are now an official 501(c)(3), tax ID #36-4767019.Please consult your tax professional for advice on how to write off your donation.

Photo by Gerry Lewin

Our Mission:

Using Tom McCall’s legacy to educate and encourage Oregonians to take an active role in restoring and maintaining Oregon’s position of environmental leadership.